A group of Van Wert teachers were part of a larger group in Columbus on Friday to protest plans by Governor John Kasich to do away with bargaining rights for public employees. Chuck Rollins, president of the Van Wert Federation of Teachers – the teachers union at Van Wert, said the response to the display was a bit cold – especially since the approximately 10,000 teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public employees who came to protest were locked out of the Statehouse. “It was a bit cold standing outside, but someone finally unlocked the doors and about half of us went in,” Rollins said. Meanwhile, there are some rumors that the governor and the Ohio General Assembly may back off of the bargaining rights issue, although Republican lawmakers and the governor say they’re committed to making public employees pay for more of their health insurance and other benefits. (photo submitted)
